Support for intermediate turbine-buckets.



PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905.

A. F. MACDONALD, SUPPORT FOR INTERMEDIATE TURBINE BUGKETS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN, 11. 1904.

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Inventor: fliexander-FTMacdonald UNITED STATES Patented January 10,1905.

PATENT OEEIcE.

ALEXANDER F. MACDONALD, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SUPPORT FOR INTERMEDIATE TURBlNE-BUCKETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,949, dated January10, 1905. Application filed January 11, 1904. Serial Ito-188,518.

To (all whom, it nag concern:

- Be it known that I, ALExANDER F. l\IAODON- ALD, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supportsfor Intermediate Turbine Buckets, of which the following is aspecification.

Considerable delay is experienced at times IO in starting compoundmultistage elastic-fluid turbine units into operation, owing to theunequal expansion of the shaft and the wheelinclosing casing, whichcauses the buckets and discharging devices to rub. This has resulted ineither using excessively-large clearances or making the wheel orintermediate buckets adjustable. The former practice is unsatisfactory,because it reduces the economy by permitting the motive fluid to escapewithout performing useful work. The second practice, as now followed, issatisfactory to a certain extent; but it has its limitations. Theintermediate buckets, more especially those of the high-pressure stage,are arranged in 2 5 segments which cover a relatively small arc of thewheel and are each provided with a separate adjusting means. This meansthat each segmental set of buckets is independently adjustable, whichinvolves the exercise 0 of careful and painstaking work if each and allof the sets are to be correspondingly adjusted. Moreover, the work ofadjusting is multiplied by the number of sets of buckets in the givenstage or stages. In small ma- 3 5 chines relative adjustment of thewheel and intermediate buckets has been attained by making the casingadjustable longitudinal of the shaft. Obviously this is impracticablefor machines of any substantial size. In certain types of machine, moreespecially in the low-pressure stage or stages, these intermediatebuckets extend entirely around the wheel,

or substantially so, and it is the practice to make them non adjustablewith relatively large clearances. In such cases the wheel and its shafthave been adjusted longitudinally by a means engaging the shaft: So faras I am aware it"has never been attempted,

prior to my invention, to adjust the intermediates of a turbine withrespect to the casing 5 and wheel Where said intermediates extendedentirely or substantially around the casing.

The present invention has for its object to overcome the objectionsabove pointed out and to provide a simple means for adjusting thefluid-discharging devices or intermediate buckets of a turbine withrespect to the wheel-buckets and casing, which is applicable to large aswell as small machines, and this whether the buckets are arranged sg- 6Omentally or extend entirely around the wheel.

In carrying out the invention the fluid-discharging devices orintermediate buckets are so mounted that by giving them a relativelyslight angular motion independent of the 5 casing or from their usualposition either by hand or power-actuated means they can be adjustedlongitudinally of the shaft or casing, or both.

A simple means for carrying out the invention comprises a frame mountedwithin the wheel-casing upon which are mounted one or more sets ofbuckets or discharging devices, each set comprising one or more rows ofbuckets. The frame may inclose only a por- 75 tion of the wheel orwheels or it may extend entirely around it or them. Between the frameand the casing are inclined surfaces for moving the frame axially. Thesaid surfaces may be on the frame or on the casing, as desired. Thesurfaces can with advantage be a part of the frame and arranged toengage with rollers mounted on fixed studs on the casing. Situatedoutside of the casing. so as to avoid opening it and the troubleincident thereto, is 5 an actuator for impartingangular movement to theframe, which is connected by gearing or other means with the frame.Moving the actuator causes the frame to be rotated slightly in onedirection or the other, and as the in- 9 clined surfaces engaging withthe rollers are moved in one direction or the other the frame as a wholeis moved in an axial direction either up or down in a vertical machineor to the right or left in a horizontal machine, and in this manner theclearance between relatively to the fluid, or both.

moving parts is adjusted. The adjusting devices for the several stagesin a multistage machine can beconnected for simultaneous adjustment, butI consider it better practice to adjust them separately. By means ofthis rotary adjustment of the frame the buckets and nozzles can be movedrelative to each other into proper alinement. In order to hold thebuckets in proper alinement, especially where a segmental frame isemployed, it is best to place inclined surfaces and rollers on each sideof the'frame. In order to relieve the strain on the adjusting device,clamping means accessible from the outside are provided, which normallylock the parts in place.

I have used the term intermediate buckets in a broad sense as meaningdevices for discharging fluid to a wheel, and they may serve merely todirect the fluid against the wheelbuckets at the proper angle or impartvelocity The passages between the buckets may expand or not, as desired.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of myinvention, Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a part of a verticalturbine. Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section of the same machine. Fig.3 is a partial vertical section of the machine, taken on the planepassing through the gearing for adjusting fluid-discharging devices; andFig. 4. is a detail sectional view showing the arrangement of therollers and inclined plates for moving the discharging devices axially.

1 represents the casing of the turbine, which may be made in a singlepiece or in sections to suit the requirements. At one or more points thecasing is provided with covered projections 2, which contain the meansemployed to adjust the position of the fluid-discharging devices.Located entirely within the casing and extending wholly or partiallyaround the wheel is a frame 3, to which the discharging device orintermediate buckets 4:.

are secured. This frame may be made in a single piece or in segmentalpieces united by the bolts 5. Attached to the opposite faces of theframe 3 are plates 6 and 7, having inclined surfaces which engage withthe rollers 8, carried by the casing. These plates are provided withslots and retaining-bolts 9, whereby they may be adjusted.

1n the present illustration three rows of wheel-buckets 10 are provided;but the number can be varied as desired. Between the rows ofWheel-buckets are situated the fluiddischarging devices or intermediatebuckets 4t, and between the wheel and intermediate buckets areclearances, which are necessary for mechanical reasons. From Fig. 2 itwill be seen that as the frame 3 is moved axially up or down theclearance above and below the wheel-buckets will be changed.

Situated above the wheel and in line with the buckets is a nozzle 11,which may be of the expanding or non-expanding type, as desired. It ispreferable to extend the nozzle over an arc which approximates thatcovered by the intermediate buckets or discharging devices 4.

Since the frame 3 is supported between rollers which engage withoppositely-inclined plates carried there-by, it follows that if theframe be rotated in one direction or the other it will also be movedaxially, and changing the axial position of the frame varies theclearances between the stationary and moving parts. A rack 12 is boltedor otherwise secured to the frame, and meshing with the rack is a worm13, the shaft for which extends through suitable packing 14 in thecasing and is provided with a hand-wheel at its outer end. Rotating thishand-wheel in one direction or the other will move the frame angularly,and the oppositely-inclined plates 6 and 7 engaging with the roller 8will give the frame an axial movement.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I havedescribed the-principle of operation of my invention, together with theapparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof,but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is onlyillustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

L'An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a shaft, wheel-buckets, and adevice for discharging fluid against them, in combination with a meansfor changing the angular position of said device about the wheel withoutchanging the angle of delivery.

2. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a shaft, wheel-buckets, and adevice for dis charging fluid against them, in combination with a meansfor changing the angular and axial position-of said device about thewheelshaft.

3. An elastic-fluid turbine comprisingacasing, wheel-buckets, and adevice for discharging motive fluid to the buckets, in combination witha frame for supportingthe device which surrounds the Wheel and isinclosed by the casing and separate therefrom,.and a means for movingtheframe with respect to the buckets.

4. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising. a casing, wheel-buckets,intermediate buckets arranged in sets which extend around orsubstantially around the wheel, in combination with means forsimultaneously and correspondingly adjusting all of the sets ofintermediates with respect to the wheel-buckets and casing.

5. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a casing, wheel-buckets, and adevice normally stationary and supported by the casing for dischargingfluid to the buckets, in combination With a frame which carries thefluid-discharging device and is angularly adjustable about the wheel.

6. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a casing, wheel-buckets, and adevice for discharging fluid against the buckets, in combination with aframe for the device which is carried by the casing, and a means formoving the frame angularly and axially with respect to the casing.

7. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a casing, Wheel-buckets, and adevice fordischarging fluid against the buckets, in combination withaframe for the device, a support for the frame which is carried by thecasing, and a means for imparting a combined angular and axial movementto the frame for adjusting the clearance.

8. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising acasing, wheel-buckets, andafiuid-discharging device, in combination with a frame for supportingthe device, inclined bearing-surfaces between the casing and the frame,and means for moving the frame on said inclined surfaces.

9. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising acasing, Wheel-buckets, andafluid-discharging device, in combination with a frame for the device,and plates having inclined surfaces for moving the frame axially.

10. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a casing, Wheel-buckets, and afluid-discharging device, in combination with a frame for thefluid-discharging device which surrounds the wheel and is locatedbetween it and the casing. and means for moving the frame axially withrespect to the wheel-carrying shaft and casing.

1.1. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a casing, wheel-buckets, and afluid-discharging device, in combination with a frame for the devicewhich engages the casing, means for moving the frame axially, and adevice for moving the frame angularly.

12. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a casing and Wheel-buckets, incombination with a device for discharging fluid against the bucketswhich is movable axially and angularly for adjusting the clearance, anda means for securing the fluid-discharging device in place.

13. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a casing and wheel-buckets, incombination with a fluid-discharging device. gearing for impartingangular movement to the device, and means coacting with the gearing tomove the device axially.

14. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a casing and wheel-buckets, incombination With a fluid-discharging device, a frame inclosed by andseparate from the casing to which the device is attached, and supportingmeans located within the casing and engaging with opposite sides of theframe. a

15. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a casing and wheel-buckets, incombination with a fluid-discharging device, a frame, plates attached tothe frame and having inclined surfaces, and means attached to the casingand engaging With the plates for supporting the frame.

16. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a casing and Wheel andintermediate buckets, in combination with a segmental frame locatedwithin and independent of the casing which surrounds the wheel andsupports the intermediate buckets, devices for uniting the segments, andmeans for adjusting the position of the frame.

17. An elastic-fluid turbine comprising a casing, Wheel-buckets,intermediate buckets arranged in sets occupying different angularpositions around the wheel, a frame located within and supported by thecasing to which the sets of intermediates are attached, and means foradjusting the position of the intermediates and frame without openingthe casing.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of January,1904.

ALEXANDER F. MA GDONALD.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD.

